I’m doing a pop up Q&A on IG stories this afternoon.

Enter your Q here: instagram.com/stories/carlyw…

#askagent

Love tropes! They exist & endure because they work! Endlessly interesting ways to tap into, explore, subvert tropes from a marginalized pov. Publishing is too quick to declare a genre "dead-dead" when we've only pushed out one (read: white/euro/straight/cis) version #askdvpit

It's not. Promise. #askDVpit

You can show off personality here, writing credentials, awards, the like! Don’t go too lengthy, but it’s our way to see you as a person apart from just the author #askDVpit

You’ll want to be on the same page w/them so they can continue to foster your career! I wouldn’t reach too far with 6 genres all in a year, but establish yourself in 1-2 areas and then grow as an author and your readership and branch out as you do! Pacing is everything #askDVpit

No tropes are dead to marginalized folks. 👏🏾Period👏🏾 None. Do them all. #askDVPit

Not tied to only fantasy—I’m tired of stories of white ppl in foreign lands being surprised, shooketh, idk about this place/culture that isn’t there’s. Lol I don’t care about their thoughts or discomfort in this situation…🤷🏾‍♀️ #askDVpit

I don’t think it’s tacky at all. Just be mindful that you aren’t turning that revision over in a week. Spend time on it, really reflect on it, and allow for the agent to have some distance to and get excited #askDVpit

Everyone should create a website! I mean, do you absolutely need one before you get an agent? Not necessarily. But it does help give people a sense of your identity, work you can showcase, experiences, aesthetics etc. but they are massively important when you get a deal #askDVpit

I find myself running further and further away from social media to maintain my own mental health, and I won't ask any of my clients to subject themselves to this hellfire if they don't legitimately enjoy it/get something worthwhile out of it! #askDVpit

Yes, you can still publish. No author should be forced to travel or to do events, especially if they are unable to. #askDVpit

I have found that adult fantasy really is shifting. I’m once again going to tag team my favorite human to help me a bit here @NaomisLitPix #askDVpit

It can! If I see someone get 500 likes, I have that sense that other people are going to beat me to a submission. It doesn't make me read it first, necessarily, but it adds some heat! #askDVpit

I believe and hope that this is an area that is opening up to greater representation. #askDVpit

I would say it sort of depends because one agent could read immediately and then speed the process along for all of us, but also we all are trying to read and do justice by each other so our speed could be normal compared to a regular full request! #askDVpit

I M guessing this is for PB would stick to 1-3 others that fit their wishlist and are relevant. See what grabbed their attention with the first and show off a little range, but don’t overwhelm #askDVpit

Adding on, it's good to have market awareness of a trend. Identify the most prevalent iteration of that trend and distinguish your pitch from it. If XYZ is booming, here's how your book taps into that proven market *and* here's what'll make it transcend any one moment #askdvpit

That you aren’t caring enough about your own genre/demographic to research & know current work. Twilight, Game of Thrones, The Hunger Games are all great books, but dated and not representative the same now. I highly recommend finding comps from being doing the work NOW #askDVPit

Something I'll add about comps: if you're talking about the BIGGEST hits or talking about OLD hits, they become less useful. Also, I think most agents are looking to them to get a sense of the spirit or feel of a project more than anything hugely specific. #askDVpit

It really depends on the medium. For example in GN, middle grade and YA contemporary and memoir has been hot for YEARS and will continue to be popular for many more. It’s almost evergreen. Other genres have some successes but are less stable—but this will change soon! #askDVpit